Tailbone pain question

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I am looking for advice regarding my tailbone pain.</p>

<p>I’ve been having tailbone pain since end of last year (last couple of days in December). I did not fall, so I am not sure why I started getting it. I did overdid on working out though in the last 2-3 weeks leading up to pain, as I was off work, my kids were at school, so I was working out about 3 hours a day.</p>

<p>Initially, in January, the pain was unbearable. However, with the time, it subsided, but it does not go away. After I sit for some time, I get the pain. At this point it is not debilitating pain and but I still feel it a little bit. So now I am starting to freak out, because I don’t think it’s normal to have this for such a long time.</p>

<p>I have not seen a chiropractor because I am scared of them.</p>

<p>I have two questions. First, is it normal to not completely heal after 9 months after a tailbone injury?</p>

<p>If it is not normal, what kind of doctor do I need to see to check it out (not chiropractor)?</p>

2

<p>Go to an orthopedist. You might have a fracture and need xrays to diagnose it.</p>

3

<p>I fell down rollerskating and my tailbone hurt for a year. I did finally get relief from a chiropractor.</p>

4

<p>“I have two questions. First, is it normal to not completely heal after 9 months after a tailbone injury?”</p>

<p>Yes, as my experience shows. I fell coming down a steep slope on cross country skis trying to avoid hitting a little kid who ran across and stepped into my path (the kid should not have been there unsupervised, but that’s another story). It was pretty bad and took almost 2 years for it to go away completely. Ten years after the accident, Im fine and can do everything normally, except I cannot ride bicycles for extended periods of time (that’s why I love running :)).</p>

<p>If Xray shows nothing, I suggest seeing a pain specialist who has experience with spinal pain. You might have something else going on, like an irritated disk that manifests as tailbone pain.</p>

5

<p>Our D had a tailbone injury and it took about 2 years for her to be pain free. After an x-ray and exam, orthopedic doctor advised there was no good treatment other than pain management and passage of time. We bought her a special cushion with a cutout and she took it with her most places.</p>

6

<p>I fell down the wood staircase at our new house several months ago and landed HARD on my tailbone for several steps. :o</p>

<p>I still have an odd sensation of pressure there, not necessarily pain. Just uncomfortable.</p>

7

<p>Larkin. Did you actually injure your tailbone in January?</p>

8

<p>^^^^^That’s what I’m wondering.</p>

<p>lerkin, this sounds like you need to get your tailbone checked out. There are, however, a couple of other conditions which can cause a feeling of pressure on the tailbone. Are you a woman?</p>

9

<p>Sax,</p>

<p>I started to fill pain couple of days before New Years, while traveling in a car for several hours (for a little get-away). I don’t remember falling prior to that. The pain was manageable during getaway. When I got back home after New Years and went back to work, things got progressively worse because I sit at work for long periods of time (vs. being pretty active while on vacation). It got better now. Currently the sensation if I sit for a prolonged periods of time is mild pain.</p>

<p>Nrdsb4,</p>

<p>yes I am a female. </p>

<p>So, the consensus is that I should check it our and the doctor I should go to is orthopedist?</p>

10

<p>Yes go to an orthopedist.</p>

11

<p>Here’s tons of info:</p>

<p>[coccydynia:</a> coccyx pain (tailbone pain): causes, coping and cures](<a href=“http://www.coccyx.org/index.htm]coccydynia:”>http://www.coccyx.org/index.htm)</p>

<p>And one chiro w/ tons of experience’s tale:</p>

<p>[Chiropractic</a> and acupuncture works for acute and chronic coccyx pain/dislocation](<a href=“http://www.coccyx.org/treatmen/michael.htm]Chiropractic”>http://www.coccyx.org/treatmen/michael.htm)</p>

<p>Also - don’t sit on your coccyx. Sit on your sitz bones: [Sitting</a> properly is the key](<a href=“http://www.coccyx.org/personal/2011/misha.htm]Sitting”>http://www.coccyx.org/personal/2011/misha.htm)</p>

<p>You are not alone =).</p>

12

<p>I had non-injury related (as far as I knew) coccydinia a few years ago. My GP gave me this prescription pain-killer ointment, Voltaren, to use and it eventually went away.</p>

13

<p>A simple xray might provide helpful information. I had a stress fracture of the coccyx which allowed some arthritis to develop. It’s embarrassing, but coccyx pillows do help during the prolonged healing process.</p>

14

<p>You could also have a pilondial cyst although I believe they are more common in men.</p>

15

<p>When I fell down the stairs right on my tailbone, I knew I was in for months and months of discomfort. Maybe even longer. I was really irritated with myself for not being more careful.</p>

16

<p>Because of the prolonged sitting and lack of any memorable trauma I would suggest seeing your regular MD first. </p>

<p>It certainly could be a cyst that has become infected.</p>

<p>[Pilonidal</a> Cyst Symptoms, Treatments, Surgery, & More](<a href=“http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/pilondial-cyst]Pilonidal”>Pilonidal Cyst: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Surgery)</p>

17

<p>Ditto sax.</p>

<p>My guess–no medical training at all–is that it is in fact a pilonidal cyst. See an internist first.</p>

<p>I’m female and have one.</p>

18

<p>See the doc, but the tail bone area is slow heal. The best cure will likely be inactivity.</p>

19

<p>Ugh! My cracked tailbone took 2 years to heal. Just when I was able to sit w/o pain, I broke a big toe. Two years later it still fells funny, but no pain.</p>

20

<p>I think this is pretty atypical, but I have issues with my tailbone with some drug reactions! It started when I had a procedure using a contrast dye in my kidney area where I lay on my back in sort of a dentist chair position for about an hour for the procedure. I think the dye “settled” there, and it turned out that I was allergic to it. Could barely walk for about two weeks. And now sometimes when I have other drugs I am allergic to, one of the symptoms is tailbone pain (I know, it sounds DUMB, but there you have it). I started thyroid medicine last year, and whammo – same issue, took a couple of weeks after stopping the medication for it to go away. This probably is not your issue, but just in case you started a new drug around that time…</p>